Proposal for a memorial attempting to create topological spaces using a modular structural densities. With SM(ALL) Architects.

Permalink to Field 2: Topological Space

SARI

Sari, a 'strip of cloth' in Sanskrit. The concept for the architecture is inspired by one of the world’s oldest drapery, first seen between 2800–1800 BCE and still worn today. The sari is ancient yet modern, embodying heritage, continuity, transformation, and innovation—qualities mirrored in both the vision and design of the Vivekanada Cultural Centre.

WANDERING PLAN

Inspired by Swami Vivekanada's travels in India as a wandering monk, the design adopts an open free plan with multiple entrances and no fixed path.

ARCHITECTURE & GEOMETRY

The flowy forms and surfaces are formed by lofting basic lines and curves from classical geometry. This interplay of line and curve evokes the elegance of fabric in motion—ancient in its cultural resonance, yet modern in its architectural expression.

The design celebrates both tradition and innovation. Just as the sari adapts across centuries while retaining its essence, the architecture bridges past and present, weaving history into contemporary spatial experience.

Permalink to SARI: Vivekananda Cultural Centre

Permalink to VOID HOUSE

A new roof over the existing terrace house to create internal double volume courtyards and light wells.

Our first completed project in Malaysia. Coming soon…

Permalink to House Over A House

Prompt: 

Phonebooths replace meeting rooms for virtual meetings in the new post-Covid era in this office for a tech startup. Physical offices are no longer designed to be permanent but can expand and contract, and even be easily relocated, to complement the virtual counterpart. 

ChatGPT: 

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant shift in the way people work and has necessitated the development of new solutions to address the changing landscape. One such solution is the use of phonebooths as meeting rooms for virtual meetings in offices. Phonebooths are small, soundproofed booths that were originally designed for making phone calls but can now be used as private spaces for employees to participate in virtual meetings without disturbing their colleagues.

In addition to the use of phonebooths, physical offices are being redesigned to be more flexible and adaptable to changing needs. Instead of permanent workstations, offices can now have modular furniture and flexible layouts that can be easily rearranged to meet the needs of the moment. This allows companies to scale up or down as needed and even relocate to different office spaces as required.

Overall, these changes reflect the innovation that is taking place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the changing work landscape. The use of phonebooths and flexible office design are just a few examples of how companies are adapting to the new normal and creating more efficient and effective workspaces.

…

In collaboration with Lin Zihao, Tan Ying Tong & Katariina Traskelin.

Photography by Lin Zihao.

Permalink to Circus 4: Phonebooth Office

A WATER ODYSSEY: SHOPHOUSE OFFICE

This is the office of Odyssey Capital, a financial advisory and investment firm, located in a conserved shophouse near the Singapore River and Raffles Place financial district. Odyssey Capital manages the Tigris Asia Water Fund which invests in the water industry and companies.

WATER, COPPER PIPES, WAVES, CYAN

The design is inspired by water and an image of water infrastructure on the Client’s website. Copper pipes, the same ones used for water pipes in buildings, are used to make a wave-like screen between the reception, meeting and work areas. At times the porous screen allows light through the various spaces within the well-lit airy shophouse with high sloped ceiling. At other times the screen catches the light and dematerializes to form a soft fluid filter. The three dimensional screen provides privacy through layering, though allowing views through at certain angles. The screen is made using modular units similar to the water infrastructure. The colour of water is chosen to highlight certain architectural elements and to subtly suggest the theme of water. It is also the colour of the copper patina when the copper wave ages in time.

ODYSSEY, MAPS, SEARCH LIGHT

Odyssey, the name of the company, is the other theme. The Client collects odyssey related collectibles such as ancient hand drawn maps and search light, which decorates the spaces of the office.

Featured on Designboom’s OWMF architecture designs interior for odyssey capital in singapore, 20 March 2016, Milan/ Beijing/ New York

Featured by European Copper Institute

Photo credit: www.boontickphoto.com

Permalink to A WATER ODYSSEY

Bold at work is a youth academy set amidst the existing communal facilities at a HDB void deck. It runs creative workshops and studios with hands-on exploration for youths to discover and be exposed to the various career disciplines. The is also a small small cafe and shared work space within the compound.

The demands of the program allows the design to explore flexible planning strategies while maintaining a cosy atmosphere throughout. We want to challenge the comfortable idea of fixed functions and clearly defined spaces within education & commercial spaces. As much as we can, we use mobile and transformable furniture (bleachers, tables, seating) so that a single space can be used for multiple functions. 

The workshop, studios, shared work-space, and cafe are framed by large bay windows, overlooking the hdb life and displaying its ongoing activities at the same time. 

In order to kick-off the community engagement, we invited interested youths to collaborate and paint the academy facade and mural artwork.

Photo credit: www.katariinatraskelin.com

Permalink to CIRCUS 2: BOLD AT WORK

We want to challenge the comfortable idea of fixed functions and clearly defined spaces within dwellings. 

The apartment is conceived as just fixed areas and flexible areas. Flexible areas are Living, Dining, Guest Bedroom & Study while the Kitchen, Bathrooms and Master Bedroom are fixed areas. 

The main idea was to minimize fixed built-in cabinets within the flexible areas. We designed mobile/ transformable furniture & fixtures (including the dining tables) so that a single space can be used for multiple functions. Within the same space, the occupants could dance, eat, watch TV, read, work or host gatherings and guests. 

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Photo credit: www.katariinatraskelin.com

Permalink to MOBILI 5: Soon Residence

Use more DESIGN and imagination, to MAKE with less and local resources and let hope MULTIPLY in knowledge, life, participation, and opportunity.

This initiative has been started by a team of architects and engineers. It had begun as a response to the Gorkha Earthquake in Nepal on 25 April 2015. Realizing that the local building design and construction practice are inadequate to withstand major earthquake. And, simple enhancement to the Nepali existing traditional house design and construction could have helped reduce the devastation and number of lives lost. The team of four set out to promote the enhanced design, in anticipation of future major earthquake in Nepal.

DESIGN imagine, explore and describe ideas, ideals and approaches

MAKE realize, manifest and construct using locally available material and skills in difficult and inaccessible sites with less cost

MULTIPLY hope, encourage and enhance positive impacts in transferable knowledge, adaptable technology, enhancement of live and livelihood for the people in the site, proliferation of opportunity - including participation from more people of all backgrounds, including the ones assisted by the initiative, to contribute in the same nature

The inaugural project is a school for Tekanpur, a village with steep dry terrain 3 hours southeast of Kathmandu. DXM provided architectural and structural design input for the villager’s implementation. DXM also helped to raise part of the fund through sales of artworks donated by various generous artists.

For more information, please visit Departure Magazine’s “Sustainable Housing in Nepal” article on 6 July 2016 or https://www.facebook.com/designmakemultiply/

Team Members:

Dawa

Wendy

Raina

Sy Lyng

Molly

Aik Kang

Mr Chern

Prajjwal

Diego

Past Team Members:

Franky Ken

Jose Petralanda

Permalink to AIR ARCHITECTURE

The Daily Park is located at a triangular plot between the city and the white sand beaches.  The existing site topography has a level difference of 7.5m between the tip and the base of the triangle. There are existing temple structures on site. The community traverse the site daily between the city and the beach. 

The proposed design extends the triangular geometry if the site to the park. Diagonal pedestrian shortcuts are created through the park to generate traffic for both the park and commercial spaces below the park. The existing site topography is adopted to create a natural amphitheater and seating terraces, providing an urban plaza and event space for bazaar, performance and gathering. The elevated terraces also serve as view out points. 

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Designed in the capacity of Studio Head with Whitematter Studio.

Permalink to Daily Park